Service robotics is a growing field. Mobile robots can be dedicated to various functions such as floor cleaning (for example US 2006/190133 A1), transporting loads (for example WO 2013/119942 A1), patrolling warehouses (for example FR 2,987,689 A1), monitoring air quality in closed environments (for example WO 2015/063119 A1), etc.
Mobile robots are associated with docking stations. The primary role of the docking stations is to provide energy. This is generally electric power, the robot being equipped with a battery that is recharged when it docks with the station. Usually each robot has its own docking station where it is parked when not carrying out its tasks, its recharging occurring during that time.
The docking station has a charge management system that tracks the charge of the robot from start to full recharge.
The docking station often has a robot guidance feature, allowing the robot to reach the proper position in the station to begin charging. Various devices exist for such guidance. The most common are based on a system of infrared light emitting diodes (LED) enabling the robot to determine the direction to take from its position relative to the docking station. For example, see US 2015/0057800 A1 concerning a docking station for a robot vacuum cleaner.
Sometimes there is also a physical docking guidance system at the station. Such a physical guidance system, however, poses problems which restrict the design of the robot/docking station pair.
More generally, it seems desirable to improve robustness in guiding the robot to the correct position relative to the docking station, in other words to improve the success rate of the procedure of positioning the robot at the station.
Existing docking stations usually only offer to docked mobile robots an energy recharging service, although robots may have other requirements depending on the services they provide.
Service robotics are enabling the introduction of new types of robots into the workplace and the home. These have different shapes, sizes, and requirements for energy and continuity of supply. These emerging requirements and the need to integrate large groups of robots that potentially recharge on the same station generally have not been considered in the design of existing docking stations. This hinders growth in service robotics and in the multitude of services that can result from new relationships between the station and robots of different capabilities.
To facilitate deployment of mobile robot fleets at a given site, the design of the docking station should enable it to accommodate different robots, including robots of different sizes. Deployment will also be facilitated if the same robot can engage with different docking stations.
Another aspect to consider is the safety of the charge management procedures. EP 1841038 A2 describes a charging station having a safety feature to prevent short circuits when a metal object touches its charge contactors. This type of measure may be insufficient, however. If robots of different types are likely to be accepted by the same station, charge features suitable for each of them must be offered, while ensuring that the charging process takes place under acceptable physical conditions and preventing the station from supplying electric power in the absence of an authorized and identified robot.
An object of the present invention is to address at least some of the above needs.